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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer convergence devices, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a personal computer/television (PC/TV) convergence device controller for managing the selection, arbitration, and utilization of multiple disparate video signals received from multiple video sources.
2. Description of the Related Art
A computer convergence device is a fully functional computer integrated or converged with another consumer electronic device. One such convergence device is a personal computer/television (PC/TV) convergence device, which integrates personal computer with television functionality, providing television viewing (via broadcast, cable Digital Satellite, video cassette recorder (VCR), electronic game device, or other video source) and personal computing functionality. The convergence of personal computer and television functionalities, among other things, permits combined access to television viewing and program information, computer related functionality, and Internet Access.
A PC/TV convergence device may comprise a fully functional computer including fax/modems, CD-ROM players, and media storage such as hard drives and floppy drives. The convergence with television functionalities may include utilizing multiple video inputs to receive a variety of video signals such as from cable systems, VCR, and electronic game machines. The computer is interlaced with a display monitor, often a big screen monitor, with either the interlaced video signal being converted to a scan video graphics adapter (VGA) signal or the computer""s scan VGA signal being converted to an National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) interlaced signal. Because the PC/TV convergence device is controlled by the computer""s operating system, the PC/TV convergence device can, among other things, simultaneously display PC applications and TV programs on a single monitor. The convergence of personal computer and television functionalities into a single device also permits the utilization of the communications bandwidth, mass storage and graphics of the computer to deliver, store and display small computer applications during a traditional television viewing environment.
In spite of many recent advances in this area, several problems remain. One major problem encountered is the need to effectively and efficiently control the complexity of the various video applications available for the possible video sources. For example, some of the available video sources include composite video sources, RF video sources, S-Video and digital versatile disk (DVD), with many of these having various video configurations and differing control characteristics.
Another problem encountered is the need to be able to arbitrate among the various selectable video sources. For example, if data is being downloaded from one video source, it may be desirable to prevent the interruption of that download to prevent data corruption.
Accordingly, based upon the foregoing, it should be appreciated that there is a need for a computer convergence control system that is capable of effectively and efficiently controlling the selection and application of disparate video signals from various video sources, including being able to arbitrate between the selection and application of the various video sources.
The present invention overcomes the above identified problems as well as other shortcomings and deficiencies of existing technologies by providing a computer convergence system including a convergence functionality module, a computer, and a display device. The convergence functionality module includes a first input for receiving a first video signal and a second input for receiving a second video signal. The computer is coupled to the convergence functionality module and receives therefrom indications of the first video signal received at the first input port and indications of said second video signal received at the second input port. The computer includes a controller for controlling the mapping of the indications of the first video signal to the primary video viewing surface, and further controls and arbitrates the mapping of the indications of the second video signal to either a second video viewing surface or a data acquisition destination.